Gmail Prank Goes Awry, Gets Pulled Early

Google's April Fools' Day prank this year was meant to offer some laughs, but it backfired.

As April 1st started in Australia, Google announced a new "feature" for Gmail: Gmail Mic Drop. "Email's great, but sometimes you just wanna hit the eject button. Like those heated threads at work, when everyone's wrong except you (obviously). Or those times when someone's seeking group approval, but your opinion is the only one that matters (amirite?). Or maybe you just nailed it, and there's nothing more to say (bam)," said Software Engineer Victor-bogdan Anchidin in a blog post unveiling Mic Drop. "Simply reply to any email using the new 'Send + Mic Drop' button. Everyone will get your message, but that's the last you'll ever hear about it. Yes, even if folks try to respond, you won't see it." The Mic Drop button also added a GIF of a Despicable Me Minion dressed as a royal official.

While this prank could have gone well, many users panicked this morning, after clicking the wrong send button. Some users reported accidentally sending the dismissive cartoon to bosses, co-workers, and, in one very unfortunate incident, a funeral home inadvertently sent the response to grieving parents who had recently lost their daughter. After numerous complaints about the feature, Google switched it off. "Due to a bug, the Mic Drop feature inadvertently caused more headaches than laughs," said Google. "We're truly sorry. The feature has been turned off. If you are still seeing it, please reload your Gmail page."